to be really upset by this?

[maybebabybee]

I am pregnant with my first (very early days). I just told SIL and her immediate reaction was 'well, you'll have to get rid of those cats then won't you'.

DH and I have two cats (both a year old), who we love very much. They are indoor cats, very friendly, very gentle.

SIL says that cats could suffocate/scratch our baby/baby might be allergic etc etc and I am irresponsible to consider having pets in the house with a baby.

I grew up with three dogs, four cats and an assortment of various reptiles so admittedly I am animal-biased, but was I BU to be upset that this was her reaction to our pregnancy news?

Painted that's the best response! OP you have to use that one and make sure you include FFS at the end :).

Some people are stupidly PFB which means they see everything as a danger or risk, as long as you do some basic research about how to help the cats adjust and how to set boundaries then there won't be an issue. Our dog has adjusted fine to our 2 DC, just use common sense and all will be fine.

SIL sounds like she's trying to piss on your parade, I'd be more concerned about that tbh.

Congratulations! I'm sitting here with my newborn (and my dog, incidently) and it's the best feeling. Don't let SIL make things stressful by finding problems, it's hard enough as it is.

We have always had cats, and have had a house full of children on and off for the last 27 years, never had a problem. I was worried about how the current resident cats would be with our DGD, but they have been fine, the younger one (3) mostly ignores her, the older one(12) sits and watches her, brushes against her when she wants a fuss, and makes DGD laugh a lot. Your SIL is being silly, and remembering old wives tales when she should no better.

when PIL come to visit she makes them keep their dog outside in the car even though dog is old and sick.

I think SIL is talking nonsense about the cats, but I have some sympathy with that. I really don't see why anyone should be forced to have someone else's dog in their house just because a visitor turns up with one. If the dog is that sick, it isn't kind to bring it out in the car anyway.

We had this when we were ttc. My grandma told us to get rid of the cat ready. She reckoned it would smother the baby because it would be able to smell milk on it.
We eventually adopted. Same gma said must get rid of cat as adopted child would attack it.
S worker loved us having a cat. Cat follows ds everywhere.

Yanbu

Icimoi they have a paved garden the dog could sit in, I wasn't saying she had to have it in the house, I just think it's mean to make it sit in the car.

PIL have to bring the dog out with them as it requires medication every couple of hours and can't be left alone. SIL won't visit their house because of the dog. Therefore if they want to see their GC they don't really have much option.

I understand some people don't like animals but imagine if someone wanted to bring their baby to my house and I said no it has to sit in the car because I don't like children. MN would be up in arms about that!

Oh I had this when I was pg, and we too have 2 lovely, docile indoor cats

We were offered very helpful 'advice' whilst pg from various people concerning toxoplasmosis and the 'fact' that the cats would sit on lo's face while she slept, if given the opportunity, as they would be drawn to her milky breath. We were 'reminded' of this 'fact' several times throughout the pregnancy by the same family member

I just nodded and smiled, saying "thanks for your concern I am not an idiot"

We are a happy family of 5 - me, DH, DD and our 2 cats

DD is now 2 and picks up colds from her playgroups etc, as toddlers do, and it seems people are still gunning for our cats, believing and frequently saying that DD may have pet allergies. She does not have allergies. Her last cold was picked up whilst we were away on holidays (damn British weather) and cleared up upon returning home, to said cats. Stupid people

SIL sounds rude, stupid and irrational imo, op. Congratulations on your news

I have a real issue with people who hate animals. I get it you might not like them,but hate? It speaks volumes.

Fwiw I would put her in the car and let your PIL dog stay in.

DrElizabeth I tend to agree with you but frequently get told IABU :)

I am one of the very few who love random dogs coming up to me for a fuss.

DrElizabeth I find them most odd - sinister tbh.

My cat sometimes looks at my baby now she is walking as if to say why did you teach it to do that?!?

my baby loves the cat follows her around and smiles and laughs at her all day.

The cat didn't sleep in our room while wee one in with us and now isn't allowed in the baby room and we have seriously had no issues. Our cat is a very mischievous and playful thing too and not been a problem

Your SIL is an ill-informed idiot. I used to volunteer at Battersea and the number of cats that came in with the reason being their owners were pregnant so no longer wanted them was absolutely disgusting to see.

judge that is terrible, poor things :(

Don't be upset And don't get rid of the cats, unless they are made stressed and unhappy by the new arrival. Growing up with pets is lovely.

Arf at "It's a cat not a lion FFS" :o

DD has a very strong bond with one of our cats, they adore each other and are inseparable.

When DD was born we had 6 cats in a very small house, DD is still here to tell the tale and suffered no ill effects. The cats got as far away as possible from the screaming, grabbing baby !

We have dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits ... all a part of the family.

Put simply they are going nowhere!

This thread is making me want a cat. I grew up with cats but DH isn't keen and we both spend too much time outside the house.

Sigh.

The DDs would love it. They love my parents cat. He's less enthusiastic but will now tolerate them when we go to stay. He'll even let DD1 stroke him. He's less sure about DD2. Wise old moggy. She hasn't discovered "gentle" yet .

He used to look at me very oddly when I was breastfeeding though. That freaked me out a bit. I had to start putting him out of the room! Most offputting.

You know she is wrong, but it's horrible that that was her first reaction to your great news. My parents had a cat when my mum was expecting me, 47 years ago. They were told 'the cat will be jealous' 'cats smother babies you know' 'the cat will smell milk and scratch the baby '! All rubbish, I grew up loving cats and now have six, the cat also loved me, didn't scratch me, wasn't jealous and here I am not smothered! If it comes up again I would tell her that's a very old fashioned view - and 'they're not lions, ffs'.

We have 2 semi-feral cats and I was a bit nervous about them, especially after MIL told me about coming in one day to find one of their cats sitting on baby BIL's head in the cot! But it was fine.

Very rude and mean if that was her first reaction. But I don't think it's unreasonable for her to have said it at all, even if you end up coming to the conclusion that baby and cats will be fine. A lot of people are not comfortable with small babies in a house with dogs or cats, it's not an unusual or unreasonable view.

actually I disagree with most, of course you shouldn`t get rid of the cats but you should consider that cats could in cuddling up to a nice warm milky smell e.g. baby accidentally suffocate it it has happened before and baby shops used to sell nets especially for this so it is worth being vigilant over, congratulations op and gl.

They still sell nets that can go on the cot. Our cats wouldn't go within a million miles of DD, it's the main reason we didn't conkers, our bed is the cats domain.

Conkers? Cosleep!

But I don't think it's unreasonable for her to have said it at all

I'm afraid it was, they're my cats and it's my baby.

and yes it was her first reaction.